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Renaissance Fair

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Entertainers at the Golden Gate Renaissance Festival 2005.
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Entertainers at the Golden Gate Renaissance Festival 2005.

A Renaissance Fair or Renaissance Festival is an outdoor weekend gathering ostensibly focused on recreating life as it was during the Renaissance. In fact, these events create a fantasy inspired, in most cases, by both historical references (most often England in the time of Henry VIII or Elizabeth I) and by perceptions of the Middle Ages and Renaissance obtained from movies, games, books, comics, and television shows.

Variations on the name include:

While historical reenactments are by no means exclusive to the United States, the Renaissance Fair is, arguably, a uniquely American variation on the theme, having as much the flavor of an amusement park or mall as of a historical reenactment. Since the mid-nineties, however, their popularity has slowly been spreading into western Canada. The people acting the roles ('participants' or 'actors'), frequently young volunteers, often attempt to recreate swashbuckling movies, The Lord of the Rings, Monty Python, etc. as fervently as other participants attempt to be 'historically accurate', while guests ('patrons') may be more interested in drinking, eating, shopping, and watching farce than in some sort of educational experience. Experienced fairgoers often admit that attempts at re-enactment vary in their degree of success, being heavily dependent upon the ethos of faire management/direction, the culture and precedent of the specific fair, and the demographics of its audience. Some fairs endeavor to limit their scope to a comparatively narrow slice of history, while others may attempt to cram approximately six hundred years of history from the High Medieval period to the High Renaissance into one place, juxtaposed with recognizable fictional characters and events (Three Musketeers, Dragonslayers, etc.). Although religion was a very important part of life in the renaissance era, this aspect is often downplayed, so as to not tramp on anyone's beliefs, whether Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, or other. There is just no desire to see a re-enactment of the Inquisition or a "heretic" burned at the stake!

Spinoffs of Renaissance Fairs include fairs set in other time periods, such as Christmas fairs set in Charles Dickens' London.

Contents

Environment

Sword-fighting is a staple activity at most fairs.
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Sword-fighting is a staple activity at most fairs.

Jousting Knights on Horseback perform 3 shows daily at The Carolina Renaissance Festival.
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Jousting Knights on Horseback perform 3 shows daily at The Carolina Renaissance Festival.

Most Renaissance Fairs are arranged to represent an imagined village in England during the reign of Elizabeth I, as this period is generally considered to correspond to the flowering of the English Renaissance (most especially because this was the time of Shakespeare).

There are stages or performance areas set up for scheduled shows such as plays in Shakespearean or commedia dell' arte tradition, or (frequently anachronistic) audience participation comedy routines. Other performances include dancers, musicians, jugglers, and singers. Between the stages the "streets" are lined with stores ('shoppes') where independent vendors sell their wares, alongside food and beer vendors, as well as game and ride areas. Fairs will also often include a joust as a main attraction. Meanwhile, strolling minstrels, mimes, fools, jugglers and jesters mingle with the fairgoers. Actors (often called participants) portray historical figures and common people, from royalty and nobility to merchants and peasants, and are often organized into thematic "guilds" (such as the peasant guild, Scottish guild, or parade guild). Actors wear period costumes, some meticulously researched recreations and others more generic impressions, and speak using an approximation of the vocabulary and accents of the time. The accompanying bazaar features traditional crafts, from jewelry and stained glass to metal and woodwork, as well as traditional English foods like bangers and mash.

While every Fair is unique and holds its own complex history, many include one key event. At the end of each day, the musicians and performers gather together on a single stage in order to perform the Pub Sing, where patrons and actors alike come together to end the day's festivities with a bang. The tunes played can often be sung along to, and many times the musicians all play together for one final piece before closing. For those who work at the Fair, the last Pub Sing that a festival holds is traditionally an emotional moment, as it also is their last goodbye to the festival before it comes back next year. At other fairs, the closing parade becomes the focus for the final day of the run; at the main California fairs, this parade is called Grand Ringout.

For a time in the eighties the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Agoura, CA held the Guinness Book of Records record for most beer sold at a single venue.

History of the Fairs in America

In May 1963 schoolteacher Phyllis Patterson and her husband Ron put on the first Renaissance Pleasure Faire, an outgrowth of school projects. The Faire was held in North Hollywood, CA and drew some 8000 people for the one-weekend event. Some claim that this event was based on an even earlier event held in Santa Barbara.

Since that time many unrelated Renaissance Faires have sprung up all over North America. Examples include large gatherings in Texas, Minnesota, Arizona, New York and Florida. Often drawing people with nomadic lifestyles, other events such as the Oregon Country Fair and Burning Man festivals are frequently staffed by the same crew and performers that have worked at Pleasure Faires in the same year, and vendors and participants often work 'the circuit', going from event to event as one fair's season ends and another begins.

For decades the Renaissance Pleasure Faire held an annual spring gathering in Agoura, CA and a fall event in Novato, CA. The event was run by a large ensemble of performers, fine arts and craftspeople and crew. These yearly events drew on the rich variety arts movement in Los Angeles, and the explosion of outdoor public events. Interactive environmental theatre and stage shows were overlaid with large scale processions featuring giant puppets and courtly displays. The London-based Reduced Shakespeare Company, San Francisco's i Fratelli Bologna, Tutti Frutti, St Stupid and the Los Angeles Fools Guild all developed from improvisationally-focused ensembles that initially worked together at the Pleasure Faire.

In the late nineties the original Renaissance Pleasure Faire was taken over by Renaissance Entertainment Corporation, a company already operating the Bristol (Illinois/Wisconsin). Several years later Kevin Patterson (the son of Phyllis and Ron Patterson) incorporated with his wife Leslie Patterson as "As You Like It Productions" -- since re-organized as "Red Barn Productions".

Many of those involved with the seemingly idyllic nature of the earlier fairs (especially those fairs operating with a non-profit spirit) lament the growth of the fairs as businesses. Yet new generations of "Rennies" still find the same sort of joy in their work at the still-popular modern fairs.

Notable fairs

Faire-goers at the 2005 Irwindale Faire in Irwindale, California
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Faire-goers at the 2005 Irwindale Faire in Irwindale, California

Juggling Jester performs the lanes at The 2004 Arizona Renaissance Festival
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Juggling Jester performs the lanes at The 2004 Arizona Renaissance Festival

Perfomers at the 2005 Georgia Renaissance Festival
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Perfomers at the 2005 Georgia Renaissance Festival

The [New York Renaissance Faire] is located in Tuxedo, NY off Route 17a. NYRF, along with the faires of Southern California and Bristol, is one of the three American Renaissance Faires owned by the Renaissance Entertainment Corporation. This annual event, now in its 30th season, takes place from the first weekend of August until the last weekend of September.

The [Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California] is hosted by Renaissance Entertainment Corporation, which took over control of the Pleasure Faire from the Living History Center. The annual event, now in Irwindale (formerly Devore, originating in Agoura). It is usually held in late spring for 6 weekends. While the Devore location was often hot, dry and dusty, the new Irwindale location is green and pleasant. However, is sometimes very warm, so cool beverages and shady spots in which to relax a moment are very popular features at 'Faire'. In 2006 its weekends are April 8 to May 21.

The [Arizona Renaissance Festival], located just east of Phoenix, Arizona, has rapidly become one of the largest Renaissance events in the country with over 250,000 patrons visiting over 8 weekends February - April. Its sister production, [The Carolina Renaissance Festival], is located just north of Charlotte, North Carolina. The charming Southern fair has been growing and expanding annually and boast an attendance nearing 140,000 over 7 weekends, October - November.

The [Maryland Renaissance Festival], located near Annapolis, Maryland, is considered the second-largest event of its kind in the United States, serving an average of 12,000 customers daily as of 2004. The Maryland Renaissance Festival has been in continuous operation since opening 1977 and runs 9 weekends every fall. Its 2006 weekends are August 26-October 22.

The [Bristol Renaissance Faire] of Kenosha, Wisconsin has been around for more than thirty years. It started in 1973 as King Richards Faire and reopened in 1988 as the Bristol Renaissance Faire offering fine arts & crafts with food and entertainment of 16th century England. Bristol Academy of Performing Arts auditions are held late spring. It runs for 9 weekends during the summer, starting in early July and ending on Labor Day.

The [Minnesota Renaissance Festival], located just outside Shakopee, Minnesota, is in its thirty-fifth year. It started in 1970 and is among the oldest continuously operating Renaissance Festivals/Faires in existence. It runs weekends and Labor Day during August and September. The Minnesota Renaissance Festival which currently boasts the highest seasonal attendance of all the festivals in the Midwest is owned and operated by Mid-America Festivals, Inc., which also manages the [Michigan], [Kansas City], and [Bay Area] (Tampa Bay, Florida) Renaissance Festivals.

The [Georgia Renaissance Festival], near Atlanta, is the largest in the Southeast and began in 1986 as a spring festival. In 1994, it added a fall season that continued through 1999. It now runs 8 weekends in the spring with 240,000 attendees.

The [Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire], as of 2006, was in its 26th season. It is located just north of Lancaster, PA and just east of Hershey, PA. The 35-acre Shire hosts close to 100 permanent Tudor-style shoppes, 12 stages and one of the largest joust arenas outside of Europe, its own winery and onsite microbrewery. The Faire runs 12 weekends from mid-August through the last weekend of October. 250,000 annual patrons, not counting additional festivals held on the same site.

The [Texas Renissance Festival (TRF)] in Plantersville Texas, just north of Houston is well positioned to take advantage of the vast population of that sprawling metroplex. Eight weekends per year in October and November are dominated by "Faire Season". TRF boasts participant numbers in the 10s of thousands per weekend. Permanant grounds, lavish stages, shops, and decor are well used in season as well as occasional off season events. Most notable about TRF is its encroachment into normal Houston life (or "the mundane world" to rennies). During the season one may walk malls, shops, and public streets in full garb with no negative comment.

In a very real sense the Rennies have taken over TRF. On adjacent grounds camping is hugely popular. TRF campers neatly set up eloborate pavilions and tent circles on an otherwise featureless field. The family friendly atmosphere inside the gates takes an adult turn after the sun sets outside the gates. These are not paid actors, but rathter paying partons of the festival (or "paytrons") who take matters in their own hands and make each weekend a 72 hours expirence. Hundreds of other smaller festivals continually spring up (and go under) on a regular basis across America, with attendance from a few hundred to tens of thousands. There is often a split between those who enjoy the larger, corporate theme park events versus the smaller, more intimate independent offerings.

Myths

There are several common myths and stereotypes about Renaissance Faires.

One such misconception is they intentionally cater to patrons who associate themselves with witchcraft and other Wicca-like ideals, since those who follow Wicca or Paganism are attracted to the culture of Renaissance or Medieval festivals; further confusion may lie in the fact that many fairs do have actors playing witch-type characters. However, no fairs deliberately and explicitly cater to pagan or Wiccan patrons.

Mud wrestling might be expected at a Renaissance Faire; however, this is not always the case. There are however certain guilds and groups hired to do such as entertainment, sometimes the faire itself uses its own actors. Modern insurance liabilty sometimes prohibits this type of interaction.

It is a common misconception that Renaissance Faires are run by the Society for Creative Anachronism. The SCA is a non-profit group of medieval re-creationists, while the (generally) professional for-profit Renaissance Faires are more oriented towards providing spectacle for their audiences.

While some Renaissance Faires will display stocks and pillories, those journeying to a Renaissance Faire to witness actual torture (trapped within the stocks) would be in for a disappointment. For safety reasons, visitors to Renaissance Faires cannot be forcibly locked into stocks or pillories, and most displays provided by the faires are large enough that a "victim" can easily escape if the experience becomes uncomfortable and are used mainly for photographic opportunities. Further lending to the confusion, several faires have "Trial and Punishment acts" that include dunking. There are professional acting troupes that skillfully portray public punishment for entertainment purposes within their larger act, and are hired by professional Renaissance faires for their stunt abilities and highly trained realism. Much like the jousters and swordsmen, these players do not actually harm each other.

Because of the seeming reality of the event, some visitors actually believe that jousting and swordplay are real, happening on an impromptu basis between actors. While the weapons are real, it is a performance by specially trained actors and stuntmen with years of practice behind them. There are, however, some jousting troups that do perform real lance passes (using real pine lances), such as the New Riders of the Golden Age where the outcome of those passes is real.

All acts (mentioned here) at a Renaissance fair usually have years of skill behind them and are highly choreographed, taking weeks of classes and, in some respects, years of practice in order to make it appear as authentic as possible.

Almost every act will, during a tip pass, say things like "this is how we make our living." The reality is that, with the exception of the high end touring professionals, there are a great number of local or regional acts that are just part time and return to their day jobs during the week. Many of these acts are actually paid quite lowly and depend on tips to recover expenses. As glamourous as festival stage life might seen, only a small percentage can actually make a living doing it full time. Tipping is always appreciated, which is no myth.

Notable entertainers

See also

External links

 

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.

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